Apparatus for feeding and cutting strip material



April 1959 s. E/MILLER 3,440,911

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND CUTTING STRIPMATERIAL Filed Dec. 19. 1966 Sheet of 2 FIG! 5 Firs. 5

INVENTOE Samuel 8. 77717167" April 9, 1969 s. E. MILLER 3,440,911

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND CUTTING STRIP MATERIAL Filed Dec. 19. 1966 .Sheet 3 of 2 3&1,

IN YEN T02 Samuel '6. 97717121 y/ MM 52,9

United States Patent C 3,440,911 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND CUTTING STRIP MATERIAL Samuel E. Miller, Wilmette, Ill., assignor to Quick Service Textiles, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 602,678 Int. Cl. B26d 7/00; B65h 17/40 US. Cl. 83-278 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to apparatus for feeding a first strip of material to a sewing machine, joining to said strip a second strip of material also being fed to the machine, cutting off said second strip to a predetermined length and resuming the operation cyclically, wherein the cycle is automatically or semi-automatically controlled.

Insofar as the present disclosure has particular reference to waist bands to be incorporated into articles of wearing apparel two principal methods are currently in use. One, wherein a common type of waist band, say, for mens trousers, is to have a specialized component added thereto, e.g. a stiffening element as disclosed in my US. Patent No. 3,155,986, granted Nov. 10, 1964. In such case, and in accordance with the present invention, a continuous length of conventional waist band material, which may be of any known form, is fed from a source of supply to the sewing machine and, while thus fed, predetermined lengths of the stiffening alement are sewed at space-d intervals to the waist band. Thereafter the combined waist band and element is cut off at some point in the interval by the garment fabricator and sewed to the garment. In an alternative method the garment fabricator will secure the conventional waist band to the pieces of the garment, e.g. the two halves of a pair of trousers and, while feeding such pieces and the therewith-combined waist band to the needles of a sewing machine, add the specified length of the stiffening element. In either of the two cases mentioned it is desirable to feed the stiffening element component from a continuous length carried on a spool, to stitch a predetermined lentgh thereof to the conventional waist band material, and to cut off such length following incorporation thereof by sewing, said feeding and cutting being done cyclically, with initiation of feed of the stiffening material as well as cutting off, being under the control of the operator.

Insofar as concerns the present application the construction :of the waist band constituting one of the pieces being fed to the needles is immaterial and similarly with respect to the pieces of the garment which may, as stated above, be fed to the needles along with the waist band. These factors are well-known and are common practice. Likewise the stiffening element or other component to be incorporated with the waist band may be of any form and, insofar as concerns the instant disclosure in a broad sense, is a strip of material of which some specified length is to be sewn to the waist band. It will be understood that this length may vary depending upon the fabricators requirement. For example, in the case of the stiffening element disclosed in my said patent which is designed to preclude roll-over of the edge portion of, say, a pair of mens trousers, the element may be disposed over only the front portion of the garment, and cut in alignment with the fly. In other cases the element may be continuous from one side of the fly, around the waist, to the other side.

In accordance with the invention the added component, e.g. the stiffening element, is desirably furnished as a continuous roll and means are provided to guide the same toward and beneath the presser foot of the sewing machine. Just in front of the presser foot shearing means is located which at a desired point in the cycle, is actuated to cut the strip; and in front of the shearing means there is located feeding means capable of feeding the leading end of the strip and presenting the same to the presser foot and feed dog of the sewing machine. Conventional feed inherent in the sewing machine continues the feeding of the strip and the basic waist band material to which it is being sewn and, at a point of time dependent on the length of strip to be incorporated, the shearing means is caused to function, whereafter the cycle is repeated. Initiation of feed of the stiffening element and cut-01f are under the control of the operator.

The respective means for feeding and cutting may comprise electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic components. Moreover, the entire assembly participating in the feeding and cutting functions is of a compact, unitary character enabling addition thereof to a conventional, industrial type of sewing machine With only minor adaptation, and with no interference with the usual Working position of the operator. Further, the preferred form disclosed herein depends upon actuation of the feeding and cutting means by the operator actuating a pedal connected to a switch, since this mode of operation has proved most efiicient and convenient.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing decription which, taken with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred form in which the invention may be embodied in practice.

'In these drawings;

FIG. 1 is a left end elevation of a sewing machine with the invention apparatus in place thereon;

FIG. 2 is a combined elevation and cross section, somewhat enlarged, of the invention apparatus detached from the sewing machine;

FIG. 3 is a cross section, somewhat enlarged, taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view taken in the direction of the arrows 4-4 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a diagram to illustrate the electrical circuitry.

By Way of example the invention will be described with reference to the combining, by sewing, of a secondary, stiffening element of the kind disclosed in my patent referred to hereinabove, with some conventional type of waist band material. In such case the waist band per se and the element are fed from separate spools carrying a continuous length of each, the former being fed on an upper level and the latter on a lower level. Insofar as concerns the feeding of the same jointly beneath the needle or needles (in the case of a multiple-needle machine) they are advanced by the customary serrated feed dog below the needles, the presser foot being coactive therewith, all as is well known.

Reverting to the drawings, there is shown (FIG. 1) the needle 10 and the presser foot 11 of a conventional, industrial sewing machine. Although only one needle is shown for clarity it will be understood that the same may be in multiple. The feed dog (not shown) inherent in the sewing machine is located beneath the presser foot as is conventional. Numeral 15 shows a strip of waist band material which, in itself, may be composed of several layers depending upon the specifications of the garment manufacturer, the same being fed from a supply spool (not shown) to the needle. This spool is usually mounted beneath the sewing machine. Similarly, the secondary element 17 is fed from a supply spool (not shown). To avoid increasing the space occupied in front of the machine the spool of material 17 is desirably located with its axis perpendicularly to the direction of feed, (arrow A) and a right-angled turn is effected by means of a fixed guide 19.

A plate 21 (FIG. 1) is secured to the bed 20 of the sewing machine and has its front edge 22 curled downwardly to provide smooth transition of the element 17 from the guide throat to be described, toward the presser foot and the feed dog cooperative therewith.

Adjacent the presser foot 11 is a guide 31 (FIG. 2) comprising an upper wall 31a, a lower wall 31b and side walls 31c, preferably converging, and so formed as to define an exit throat 33 opening in such relation to the upper surface of the plate 21 as to allow the element 17 to feed unimpeded toward the presser foot and feed dog. The guide 31 is supported on an arm 36 secured by screws 37 to the framework 39 to be described. Desirably the apertures receiving the screws 37 are enlarged or slotted to permit adjustment of the guide 31. From the description thus far it will have become apparent that the waist band 15 and element 17 are fed jointly to sewing position and there stitched together.

After some predetermined length of the element 17 has been fed to sewing position the same is sheared by means of a movable, hardened knife 45 coactive with a suitably hardened, fixed shearing blade 46 fixed to the framework 39. The knife 45 is mounted at one end of an arm 40. Turning to FIG. 4, the arm 40 is keyed to one end of a shaft 51 rotatably supported in a bearing 52 formed as part of the framework 39. Another arm 50 is keyed to the opposite end of the shaft 51. A compression spring 54 biases the arm 50 and hence the knife 45 to the idle position shown, i.e. out of the path of the moving element 17. The spring 54 is desirably mounted over a rod 60 to prevent its collapse and the rod is held at its ends in the arm 50 and the bracket 61 respectively. The distal end of the arm 50 is connected by a link 57 to the head 61 of the plunger 62 of a solenoid 64, the winding whereof is indicated at 65.

The knife 45 and its associated fixed surface 46 are positioned as closed as its practicable to the point at which the presser foot and feed dog of the sewing machine are jointly effective to feed the strips 15 and 17. In order to present the cut end of the strip 17 to such point a feed dog 71 (FIG. 1) is carried, by means of a set screw 66, on a bell-crank 72 for substantially linear movement by means of an arrangement to be described. The dog 71 has a pointed end to engage the mesh of the strip 17 and is preferably hardened or of hard material, such as tungsten carbide, to retain its sharpness. The pressure exerted by the dog 71, while it is idle, on the strip .17 is sufficiently light as not to impede feeding thereof, i.e. in a direction toward the needle, and the dog has an angle such that, upon being restored to the idle position shown, it is ineffective to produce drag in the reverse direction.

The arrangement for actuating the dog 71 will now be described. Mounted on the framework 39 is another solenoid 81 including its coil 82 and plunger 83, this latter having a pin 84 affixed to the distal end thereof. A shaft 85 is supported on the side walls 39a and 39b of the framework 39 and carries a rotatable sleeve 86 to which a pair of arms 8787 is secured. These arms bear on respective ends of the pin 84.

The bell-crank 72 to which the dog 71 is secured, is slotted at 91 to accept the upper end of another arm 92 pivoted at 93 to the bell-crank 72. This latter has cheeks 9494 defining the slot 91 and is rotatable with respect to the arm 92. The arm 92 is secured at its lower end to a sleeve 96 also supported for rotation on the shaft 85 (FIG. 4).

The sleeve 86 also has an arm 101 provided, at its free end, with a pin 102 engaged in aligned slots 104104 in respective cheeks 94-94. The arm 92 is slotted at 106 to clear the pin 102 as the parts move relative to each other. A tension spring 111 extends between a fixed point 114 of the framework and the arm 92, whereby the spring 111 is effective to bias the dog 71 and the several components of the mechanism to the inactive position shown in full lines in FIG. 2, i.e. the right-hand limit of the stroke of the dog as viewed in this figure.

Upon energization of the solenoid 81 its plunger 83 is pulled in whereby to rock the arms 8787 and the sleeve 86 counter-clockwise. This action, in turn, rocks the arm 101 in the same sense whereby the pin 102, working in the slots 104, will carry the bell-crank 72 and its theretoconnected arm 92 counterclockwise, thereby traversing the dog 71 some predetermined amount to feed the strip 17 to a position where it is seized between the presser foot and the feed dog of the sewing machine. By comparing the fulland broken-line showings in FIG. 2 it will be seen that the bell-crank 72 is subject to two restraints: one exerted by the pivot 93 which swings about the axis of the shaft as a center and a second which is that exerted by the pin 102 co-acting with the slots 104, the pin 102 also swinging about the axis of the shaft 85, but on a lesser radius. The net result is to shift the bell-crank 72 essentially translationally whereby the dog 71 is maintained in engagement with the strip 17 throughout the feed stroke. The broken lines in FIG. 2 indicate the relative position of the parts at the end of the stroke. Upon de-energization of the solenoid the parts will resume their initial position by virtue of the spring 111.

Following sewing of the strips 15 and 17 the latter is severed by actuation of the knife 45. To this end the solenoid 64 is now energized whereby to rock the arm 40 to swing the knife 45 past the shearing edge 46 against the bias of the spring 54. Upon de-energization the parts are restored to the position of FIG. 4.

To feed and cut off the strip 17 the operator will be provided with a pedal (FIG. 5) having a pivotal connection 131 connected through a link 133 to a switch arm adapted for alternate movement between contacts 136 and 137.

In order to translate successive actuations of the pedal 130 into alternate switching between the contacts 136 and 137 any suitable mechanism 134 may be employed. Such switches are commercially available. One such type of switch includes two contacts 136 and 137 and the mechanism 134 which, when actuated by momentary depression of the pedal 130, will operate the switch arm 135 to close on one or the other of the contacts 136 or 137 alternately whereafter, upon release of the pedal, the arm 135 will return to a neutral position pending the next actuation. Assuming the prior feed and cutting off of a prescribed length of the strip 17, the operator will depress the pedal 130 which will throw the arm 135 over to the contact 137 to energize the winding 82 of the feed solenoid 81 for operation of its plunger 83. Otherwise stated, momentary depression of the pedal 130 actuates the feed solenoid. After the prescribed length of the strip 17 has been fed to the needle the operator will depress the pedal 130 again, whereupon the mechanism 134 is caused to throw the switch arm 135 over to the contact 136 to energize the winding 65 of the cut-off solenoid 64, thereby pulling in its plunger 62 to actuate the cut-off knife 45. Again, actuation of the pedal 130 need be only momentary, i.e. just long enough to achieve cut-off. The cycle is repeated in the same fashion.

It will be apparent that the functions performed by solenoids 64 and 81 may be performed by means of pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders. In such cases the plungers 62 and 83 will be links connected to the piston rod of a respective cylinder. Admission and exhaust of air or hydraulic fluid will be controlled by suitable valves, e.g. solenoid-operated valves, the windings of which may be regarded as the windings 65 and 82 respectively.

Those skilled in this art will understand that the waist band material 15 is fed to the needle or needles through a separate guide, that such guides are adjustable in scope to receive different types of waist band assemblies and that these guides are mounted for lateral adjustment in order that the needle or needles may sew along selected lines longitudinally of the waist band. These variables in turn require expeditious adjustable location of the guide 31 in a lateral sense. To this end the framework 39 (FIG. 7) is desirably carried on the sewing machine in a manner allowing such adjustment.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course,'that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. Means for feeding a strip of material to a station whereat some operation is performed thereon comprising a framework, a guide mounted on said framework to direct said strip in a predetermined path, a:dog adapted to engage the strip and to move the same along the guide over a predetermined length of stroke, a bell-crank, one arm of the bell-crank carrying the dog, a rocker shaft journalled in said framework, a first arm fixed at one end to the rocker shaft, the distal end of said first arm and the other arm of the ball-crank having -a pin-and-slot connection, means for rocking said shaft'through a predetermined angle, a second arm freely swingable on a pivot, the distal end of said second arm being pivotally connected to the axis of rotation of the bell-crank, and means to restore said bell-crank and arms to rest position following feeding of the strip.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second arm pivot and said shaft are coaxial.

3. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said restoring means is a spring connected intermediate said framework and second arm.

4. Means for feeding a strip of material to a station whereat some operation is performed thereon comprising a framework, a guide mounted on said framework to direct said strip in a predetermined path, a dog adapted to engage the strip and to move the same along the guide over a predetermined length of stroke, a bellcrank, one arm of the bell-crank carrying the dog, a rocker shaft journalled in said framework, a first arm fixed at one end to the rocker shaft, the distal end of said first arm and the other arm of the bell-crank having a pin-and-slot connection, means for rocking said shaft through a predetermined angle, a second arm freely swingable on a pivot,'the distal end of said second arm being pivotally connected to the axis of rotation of the bell-crank, means to restore said bell-crank and arms to rest position following feeding of the strip, means for shearing said strip following feeding action of the dog, first electro-mechanical means to rotate said shaft, second electro-mechanical means to actuate said shearing means, a source of power, a first switch, first circuit means connecting said source, first electro-mechanical means and first switch, a second switch, second circuit means connecting said source, second electro-mechanical means and second switch, means interconnecting said first and second switches to operate the same alternately, and means under the control of the operator to actuate said interconnecting means to effect opening and closing of said switches in sequence upon successive actuations of the operatorcontrolled means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,063,871 6/1913 Grover 83-278 X 1,177,137 3/1916 Rector 226- X 3,094,031 6/1963 Reeber et a1. 83575 X ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

